In Pune, there’s been a serious problem called Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) that’s linked to bad drinking water. This has made many people sick, with over 200 needing hospital care and 11 sadly passing away. Because of this, many street food sellers, especially those selling pani puri, are facing big challenges. Customers are now worried about the safety of the food and the water used in making it.
One vendor, Arjun Shendre, sells pani puri and has noticed that his sales have dropped a lot. He used to sell about 100 plates a day, but now he only sells around 45. Other vendors are also feeling the same way, as people are asking more questions about how safe the food is and where the water comes from. This shows that many customers are now more careful about eating street food, especially pani puri.
To help people feel safe again, many vendors are taking steps to show they care about food safety. They’re putting in special water filters called reverse osmosis (RO) to clean the water and are sharing information about the water’s quality. They’re also keeping their cooking areas much cleaner. However, it will take time for these vendors to earn back the trust of their customers.
The GBS outbreak in Pune highlights how important it’s to keep food safe and check water quality. As the city tries to recover from this situation, it’s vital that food sellers and local authorities work together. This will help ensure that such problems don’t happen again, protecting everyone’s health and rebuilding trust in street food.
